Red Nova
by TsknRaider
Summary: When an Imperial survey ship discovers a civilization on one of the moons of Dantooine, the Empire has it investigated. When they discover the abilities of its native inhabitants, they act as they always do. They make it worse. Naruto/Star Wars cross.


I do not own Naruto or Star Wars.

--

Chapter 1:

The moonlight glistened through the trees, the leaves rustling in the breeze. It was calm, with no trace of the dangerous beasts that normally hunted the forests of Konoha. The clearing was pristine, untouched, and most of all, quiet. No birds chirped no animals rustled; it was deserted, as if the native habitants could sense the new threat that now stalked their land.

The sound of a snapping twig broke the silence.

Light glared off white armor as the Imperial patrol trudged through.

Much like their arrival on the planet, they left devastation in their wake. Plants lay crushed, the ground dug up by their heavy boots. Their weapons, large blaster rifles capable of shooting energy bolts that can burn through metal, hung at their sides. White helmets enclosed their faces, hiding the last facet of their humanity still intact. Black lenses allow their eyes to see out, a reflection of the detached souls that wear them. Hundreds of thousands of credits compose men that were trained and built to be the perfect killers, the perfect enforcers for the will of the Emperor.

Another twig snaps.

The stormtroopers stop, now alert to possible danger. The leader of the patrol raises his armor-covered fist, silently giving orders to his men. Spreading their formation apart, they sweep the nearby area carefully, their blasters set to stun.

Creeping farther and farther from the rest of their squad, three of the troopers surround a rustling bush, the source of the commotion. They wait, readying their rifles.

A few seconds go by, and then minutes, before a small, brown rabbit pokes its head out. It sniffs the air, cutely looks from side to side, and cautiously approaches the strangers. Getting on its hind legs, it curiously extends itself towards them, as if looking for clues to the identities of these strange humans that have invaded its home. Two of the troopers glance at each other, silently laughing. Switching their weapons back to kill, they aim and pull the trigger.

Turning around, the Imperials head back to their brethren, a rabbit now attached to one of their belts.

A shadowed figure grits his teeth as he watches the retreating backs of the invaders. Flicking his wrist, he launches a trio of kunai. With a thud, the storm troopers collapse without a sound, the knives sticking out of the back of their necks, one of the few weak points of their armor. The troopers struggle for a few moments before stilling. Grinning in satisfaction, the figure steps into the light.

He was blond, well muscled, and tan skinned. He looked between his late teens or early twenties with whisker marks on his cheeks, which added to his already exotic appearance. He was dressed in worn Anbu armor, its normally gray and black appearance worn down and even torn in some spots. A ninjato was strapped to his back, years of use dulling its appearance, despite being well cared for.

He walked cautiously towards the corpses; his frame slightly slumped forward, begetting his years of experiences. His dark, blue eyes supported this fact; they looked weary, heavy with loss and time. Crouching down, he retrieved his bloody weapons before searching the troopers for anything of value. His hands hovered over their blasters in thought, before he snorted in distaste and started searching their pouches. Finding nothing of use, he grabbed one of the bodies, formed his hands into a seal, and disappeared into a swirl of leaves.

---

"CT 540. Report! CT 540. Why haven't you reported in?"

The captain of the 1207th Imperial Garrison continued to hail for the three men that had disappeared.

The rest of his squad looked at each other warily; this would not be good. They were in the outskirts of what the natives called "Konoha," one of the abandoned villages turned military base by the invading Imperials. By all reports, the surrounding area was secure.

Few of them ever put much faith in the reports.

The native forces on this planet were scattered or destroyed. The majority of them were wiped out in the first couple years of Imperial occupation. It had been a costly venture; thousands of troopers lay buried here, giving their lives for the continual safety of the Galactic Empire.

When a lone patrol reported advanced life on one of the moons of Dantooine, the Empire, of course, had it investigated. Who could believe that there had been an undiscovered civilization hidden so close to the Core? However, instead of embracing the society, instead of assimilating their technology and culture, as is often done; Imperial forces were given orders to attack.

The natives had little defense.

The TIE heavy bombers and TIE fighters made short work of most fortifications, while legions of some of the Empire's finest troops led ground assaults on the beleaguered natives. In that first week, much of the native force had been destroyed.

However, the few survivors were surprisingly resourceful, having organized several successful assaults that resulted in the deaths of thousands of soldiers.

The higher ups were starting to realize that this campaign would take a great deal more resources than they expected. As such, an evacuation of Imperial forces was commencing in a month's time, followed by the complete annihilation of the moon via orbital bombardment. There could be no survivors. The Emperor would settle for nothing less.

The Imperial Occupation force simply had to survive until that time, a task becoming more and more difficult as of late. Jedi were very hard to kill, after all.

Well, not exactly Jedi. These beings were far more dangerous. Gifted with the same mystical powers as the former order, these "Shinobi" lacked the pious restraint that allowed the Jedi's systematic annihilation. They were willing, eager even, to spill blood. And they did, far too often, and far too efficiently for the Imperial's piece of mind. Their abilities were as diverse as they were deadly. Most of them were able to change their shape or clone themselves at will, others could breathe fire or thrown lightning, and some could even rip apart durasteel with their bare hands. Their potential abilities were unlimited, a nightmare for any tactical advisor or strategist.

That revelation was the only thing keeping the army going. If they were dangerous now, what retribution would they take if they were allowed to escape the planet?

---

The blond haired nin quickly jumped from tree to tree, the chakra in his legs allowing him to go at speeds thought unreachable by the modern man. As he leapt through the air, the wind blowing past him, the brief shimmering of a blue barrier could be seen. By shrouding himself in a thin barrier, he could decrease wind resistance, which resulted in even greater speeds while moving. This was chakra, the life force of the shinobi; a powerful gift, but an even more powerful weapon.

And the person wielding it was no normal ninja. This was Uzumaki Naruto, Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, and one of the last survivors of the village of Konoha.

Twirling a kunai as he leapt from tree to tree, Naruto sighed in weariness. "I have five, maybe ten minutes before the rest of the patrol reports to base. Shit! I got to hurry!"

He increased the amount of chakra in his legs, his speed noticeably picking up.

"Damn Imperials! They come to our planet, destroy our homes, and kill our families."

Naruto growled in anger, a little red chakra bleeding off his skin, a consequence to being the host of the Kyuubi, the nine-tailed fox.

He still remembered the start of the invasion, the first attack that had wiped out Konoha, the attack that killed everyone who ever cared for him.

--- Five Years Ago, First Arrival of the Empire

"Congratulations on graduating, Naruto!"

Uzumaki Naruto opened his eyes to the feel of clothe wrapped around his forehead, Iruka's own forehead protector. For once in his life, he felt complete. He had defeated Mizuki, learned from and protected the Scroll of Sealing, and had found someone who cared for him. Tears filled his eyes as he hugged Iruka in joy. "Iruka-sensei!"

Iruka smiled and returned the hug. "Now, why don't I treat you to some..."

An explosion went off in the distance. The wind howled, and the sheer force of the blast sent shock waves that even Naruto and Iruka could feel, sending them tumbling to the ground. Trees bowed and swayed around them, some falling down as they splintered and cracked.

Iruka was on his feet in an instant, despite the severe injuries he suffered to his back. "Something happened! We have to get back to the village!"

Naruto nodded sluggishly, a little disoriented, before steeling his resolve. Ayame and Teuchi could be in danger, or maybe even the old man Hokage. He was a ninja now, he would prove his worthiness to his precious people, and more importantly, to himself.

Iruka led the way, with Naruto not far behind, the Scroll of Sealing slung on his back. Iruka's chest was heaving, the strain from running combined with blood loss taking its toll on his body. Naruto was not faring so well either, summoning all those shadow clones had been tiring, even with his large stamina. They were getting close now; the sounds of battle could be heard in the distance.

Iruka stopped running and leaned against a tree. His back turned to his student; he coughed violently, a trickle of blood dribbling out of the corner of his mouth. "Naruto, go on ahead... I need to rest for a second."

Naruto hesitantly walked towards him. "But Iruka-sensei, I should..."

"Naruto!" the brown haired teacher yelled, his voice cracking, "the scroll on your back is your top priority! It contains all of the most important techniques of our village; it must be returned to the Hokage at all costs!"

"But..."

"Go!" Iruka screamed, anger evident in his voice.

In an instant, Naruto was gone, leaping through the trees with a renewed vigor, tears streaming from his eyes. "I will not fail you, Iruka-sensei! That is my way of the ninja!"

--

As soon as his young student left, exhausted Iruka slumped back against the tree. "The wounds I got from Mizuki were deeper than I thought " Blood no longer flowed freely from his back, and his breaths were getting shallower. He struggled to lift himself up, attempting to force his muscles to work. " I can't give up yet, not now, not after I've just managed to accomplish so much!" His weary body finally gives out, and he falls, face forward, on to the ground. A breeze gently caresses his face, soothing his worn person. He turns his head to look up in the night sky. It was so peaceful. As the edge of his vision grew darker and darker, he started to have trouble catching his breath. "I'm sorry I'm leaving you alone so soon. But I don't think I'll be here when you get back Naruto."

--

"Faster Naruto, faster!" The blond shinobi pushed himself to his limits, his legs starting to burn from the strain. Sweat dotted his face, and the scroll on his back seemed to get heavier and heavier as time went by. After a few breathless minutes, Naruto could see Konoha in the distance. And it was burning.

The gates were open, with the ground surrounding it littered with kunai and shuriken. One of the Chuunin guards lay slumped on the desk, his bandaged face disfigured by a massive burn wound. Judging by his body's position, he didn't even have time to react before he was killed.

Running through the village, Naruto could only gape in horror. Fire engulfed entire districts, with bodies scattered among the streets. He picked up his pace, silently praying that he could reach the Old Man Hokage before it was too late.

--

Konoha was finished. A tear rolled down Sarutobi Hiruzen's cheek as he surveyed the village from his window in his office. He had failed. He had gotten as many civilians out of the area as he could, but thousands more dotted the streets, their blood staining the ground making even the Uchiha Massacre seem insignificant in retrospect. His shinobi were fighting bravely, but they were no match for this unnamed menace. The white soldiers were numerous, and their technology was like nothing he had ever seen. Their flying machines devastated much of Konoha before they had even set foot inside. It was time to retreat. He turned to the door, "Raidou! Call "

Raidou blew through the door, his smoking body crashing into the floor. The smell of burnt flesh filled the room, as he groaned and struggled to get up. After a few seconds, he lay still.

Sarutobi growled angrily and readied himself in a defensive taijutsu stance. Smoke and dust billowed out from the door and into the room, making it impossible to see the enemy who was undoubtedly there. Seconds went by, and the third Hokage started to sweat in anticipation and just a bit of fear. The sound of heavy footsteps started to echo off the walls, as a dark shape slowly made its way out of the smoke. The closer it got, the more it towered over him. The sound of its breathing droned in his ears, the deep gasping breaths that sounded mechanical in nature. It paused just before exiting the smoke, extending its right arm outward to the side. With a hiss, a crimson blade of light burst from its hand. Killing intent filled the room, leaving the eldest of the Sarutobi clan gasping to catch his breath. The rage and bloodlust he could feel emanating off this being was overpowering, easily rivaling what he felt the night of the Kyuubi attack.

In an instant, the killing intent disappeared. Hiruzen widened his eyes in shock, and quickly threw himself to the side, watching in fascination as the red blade cut a furrow in the floor where he had just been standing. The now unveiled stranger turned its head to gaze upon the old man. If it was surprised that such an elderly human was able to dodge its attack, it didn't show it.

"What are you?" the old Hokage sputtered out, sweat dripping from his brow.

This thing looked like a man but, covered in the strangest and most intimidating armor he had ever seen; it easily could have been a machine. The armor looked like something directly out of a nightmare, completely covered in black with a masked helmet that could only be described as demonic. A billowing cape completed the dark figure.

Sarutobi grit his teeth, readying himself for what could be his final battle. "I don't know who or what you are, but I will never let you extinguish the Will of Fire!"

A deep, mechanical laughter filled the room, chilling the old Hokage to the bone. And with that, it attacked.

--

Trios of kunai were batted out of the air, the red blade cutting some in half and melting others. The half dozen shuriken that followed fared little better, as the weapons that weren't deflected simply bounced off the armor.

"Shit!"

The old Hokage ducked as the red blade passed over him, right where his head used to be. Lashing out with his foot, he struck the armored man on his upper thigh, hoping to at least stagger his foe.

His opponent seemed not to notice.

Caught off guard, Sarutobi used the momentum from the kick to flip backwards, making the seal for kage bunshin in the process. With a poof, two clones sped off in opposite directions, hoping to flank the enemy and keep him off guard.

The invader seemed not to care, his stance open and his blade held lazily to the side.

Sarutobi gritted his teeth in anger. He was the Hokage, dammit! He would not be underestimated! Making a series of hand seals, his clones following suit, he screamed, "Katon: Karyu Endan!" A stream of fire burst from his mouth and the mouths of his copies, the blasts so large and intense that the building groaned as the heat encompassed the floor. Chest heaving from the exertions on his old body, he allowed himself a small grin as he watched the smoke and debris slowly disperse from his office, fires now dotting the area.

The sight of the masked figure alive and unharmed in the center of the room ended his reprieve.

"Impossible!" the old Hokage stuttered, warily taking a few steps back. Steeling his resolve, he quickly bit the tip of his thumb and slammed his hand into the ground. "Kuchiyose no jutsu!" A brief burst of smoke marked the arrival of his chief summon, Enma.

The monkey king looked proud in his striped ninja uniform. Looking from side to side, he warily took note of the devastation within the room. His white fur bristled as he sized up his summoner's foe. "It seems you're in a spot of trouble, old friend."

"No time for pleasantries, Enma! I need your aid!"

Nodding in understanding, Enma formed a hand seal of his own. "Henge: Kongonyoi." With a quick poof of smoke, he transformed into a long, black staff with two golden ends.

Twirling the staff above his head, Sarutobi charged. "The Adamantium Staff will give me the advantage of reach, while allowing me to block that weapon of his."

The masked figure took note of the arrival of the monkey summon, and his subsequent transformation; a slight tilt of its head the only hint that it was intrigued. Lifting a gloved hand, he gestured toward the old Hokage, clenching his fist.

Sarutobi felt his body freeze up, an unknown force invading his mind and encompassing his body. His arms and legs forcefully twisted, the sound of his bones snapping filled his ears. He screamed, the pain from his injuries too much to block out. Sarutobi slumped in defeat as Enma disappeared in a poof of smoke. He had never been injured like this, not even during his younger, more active years. The unknown technique dragged him across the room to face the large window at the back of his office. Konoha, the once beautiful village he swore to protect, was burning. An image of Hashirama and Tobirama-sensei scowling at him burned deep within his mind. He knew they would be disappointed in him. It was his last thought before a red blade removed his head from his shoulders.

--

"I made it!" Naruto grinned as he approached the Hokage's tower. He would return the Forbidden Scroll, the Hokage would rescue Iruka and the rest of the village, and everything would be back to normal. He ran through the doors of the tower, the wooden panels slightly ajar as if someone forced their way through. A sense of foreboding filled the blond as he passed corpse after corpse. When he reached the Old Man's office, his fears came to pass. He slumped down in front of the corpse of one of his few precious people. Inhaling and exhaling erratically, his hands gripped the head of the deceased Hokage, hugging it close to his chest. This wasn't supposed to happen. Tears fell as the blonde grieved for one of the closest things he had for a parent. The Hokage was supposed to be the strongest ninja in the village! Why was this happening! Rage and sorrow filled his being.

--

Deep within a sewer, the Kyuubi no Kitsune cackled as he filled his host with his chakra.

--

Those who looked at the Hokage's tower at that moment would have seen what could only be described as the sun exploding. Crimson chakra burst through the walls, sending stone debris that further devastated the village. A massive killing intent filled the village and those unlucky enough to be within hearing distance could hear a monstrous roar. With a groan, the remains of the burning tower collapsed within itself; the last symbol of Konoha was destroyed.

Minutes later, a naked boy walked out of the fire, the knowledge of the Forbidden Scroll branded deep into his flesh.

--- Present Day

"Shit! My first command and I've already lost three men!" A blue pauldron wearing trooper kicked the ground in agitation. He was a recently appointed officer, fresh out of boot and ready to kick some ass. He and his squad were the finest troopers the planet Carida had to offer. It was becoming apparent more and more everyday how little that mattered.

A blond native walked into the clearing, his hands on his head. CT 540, real name Mikael, followed closely behind, his gun pointed at his back. As soon as they exited the surrounding tree line, a dozen troopers circled them, pointing their guns at various parts of the native's body. They were taking no chances.

"Soldier, report!"

The trooper looked at him curiously as if he didn't understand. Dropping his weapon, the trooper flipped him the universal hand sign.

Momentarily taken back by his subordinate's disrespect, it took him a second to notice his helmet warning him of a growing energy signature. He didn't even have time to scream as the force of the blast shattered his helmet, and with it, his life.

--

Naruto surveyed the carnage of his technique. The Bunshin Daibakuha was a costly move, but the results speak for themselves. His mastery of the Kage Bunshin made it even more deadly in his hands.

As he walked amongst the bodies, the cursed language of the Imperials froze Naruto in his tracks. Turning around slowly, he was faced with a lone stormtrooper, his weapon in hand. Naruto smirked and his hands rose in surrender. "There you are." A kunai slid slid slowly up into his hand.

The stormtrooper, thinking that he had this ninja fully in his power, took careful aim, slowly pulling back the trigger.

Naruto knew this would take skill and a decent amount of luck. That just made it more fun. A blaster bolt could kill faster than he could make a seal, but not necessarily faster then his chakra enhanced throw. Surrounding his kunai with wind chakra, Naruto began twisting his wrist in preparation for a throw, briefly closing his eyes to focus himself.

He heard a thud of impact, the sound of something tearing through armor and flesh, and blood spraying on the forest floor. There was a scream, and then nothing.

Opening his eyes, Naruto was greeted by the sight of the trooper hanging off the ends of three crimson blades that now stuck out of his chest, his blood pooling down his front.

"Yo, gaki!"

"You're lucky Jashin-sama sent us after you, ya fuckin' heathen!"

Naruto turned and greeted the new arrivals with dripping sarcasm. "Kisame. Hidan. Glad to see you could make it on time."

The silver haired priest of Jashin scowled at that. Putting his foot on his latest kill, he tore his weapon free from the now jagged armor, splattering blood all over his naked chest. "Not my fault that queer ass bastard had us patrolling the western sector. The Imperials don't go there anymore; it was just a fucking waste of time!"

The blonde jinchuuriki grinned. "Sasuke would be very upset if he heard you calling him that. He knows what's he doing. He does his job, just like you should be doing yours." His eyes briefly turned into slits.

Hidan brushed the threat off, "Yeah yeah." He spat at the corpse at his feet. "If we had gotten here a little bit later, our fearless leader would have been killed by a lowly grunt."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Even an immortal can be defeated if he's careless."

Just as the priest of Jashin was about to retort, a groan from one of the fallen storm troopers drew his attention. It would seem that not all of the Imperials were dead. Licking his lips, Hidan looked at Naruto apprehensively.

Rolling his eyes yet again, the blond nodded. "Have at it."

As the silver haired Jashinist whooped in delight, the blue-skinned sharkman approached Naruto from the side. "Remember our deal," he whispered, his small, round eyes belying his seriousness.

Looking at his large companion, Naruto was reminded yet again of why the Konoha Six recruited him. Tall, with the muscles of a swordsman, Kisame was the pinnacle of what Kirigakure stood for, brute strength and raw power. The fact that he was a master swordsman was just icing on the cake, with his unique features making him an unparallel master of suiton jutsu and aquatic fighting. The blond would have to act carefully if he wished the man's loyalty to remain intact. "I wouldn't have taken you as the sentimental type, Kisame."

"The swords of the Kiri no Shinobigatana Nananin Shu are the only part of Kirigakure I want to remember," the sharkman grunted, momentarily distracted by the screams of Hidan's plaything. "I joined the group several months ago, and so far, no attempt has been made to retrieve any of the swords."

Naruto nodded in understanding, "An attempt will be made as soon as information on their whereabouts is found. Our work here is too important to delay for mere rumors." The blond fell in a crouch, his hands picking through the pouches of the nearest corpse. Looking up at Kisame, he smirked, "None the less, you are right." He pulled a scroll from one of his side pouches and tossed it to the blue sharkman, "Neji's report indicates one of your old teammates was last spotted in Nami no Kuni."

The sound of blood gurgling in a slashed throat drew both shinobi's attention. Hidan stood over the dead stormtrooper, his eyes glazed with pleasure as blood flowed freely from his now open neck. As the priest's black skin and white markings slowly faded to their normal hue, he turned his gaze to his blonde ally, "What about me, gaki?"

Naruto's eyes flared crimson and his lips curled in a dark smile. "Oh, I have a special task for you."

--

"That fucker!" Hidan ranted as he jumped from tree to tree. "I swear. The next time I see "

"Do shut up," his lazy companion drawled, "I've listened to your mad ramblings for the past hour. You killing Naruto is as likely as " Nara Shikamaru stopped talking, as it was way too troublesome to finish the thought.

"What the fuck did you say, heathen! Jashin will "

"Jashin is a delusion created by a man that wanted an excuse to have blood orgies and mate with goats " Shikamaru quipped, taking a drag from his cigarette. He mentally sighed; leave it to Naruto to pair him with a religious fanatic that was too stupid to realize how hypocritical he really was. The Nara quickly ducked as a triple bladed scythe passed over his head, embedding itself in a tree.

"You I will kill you!" The silver haired priest raged, a manic grin plastered on his face as he gripped the symbol of Jashin on his bare chest. Pulling hard on the wired cord of his scythe, he ripped his weapon free, bringing it down on his lone companion. Only to stop mid slash, his body unwilling to move despite his prodding, a shadow attached to his feet. Recognizing the trademark technique of his compatriot, Hidan mentally sighed.

Nara Shikamaru circled his partner like a hawk circles his prey. Eyes narrowed, his left hand formed a half seal while the empty sleeve of his right flapped in the wind. "Average speed, above average strength, unnatural resilience and regeneration with unique jutsu to complement it," Shikamaru drawled, his cigarette now forgotten on the forest floor, "That alone makes you a formidable ally." Continuing to circle and examine his companion, "However, your impulsive, violent, and arrogant behavior is a dangerous liability. You'll have to improve if you're going to be anything but fodder for us."

Hidan remained frozen, his face a blank slate. Inside, however, he was mentally raging, attempting to wrench back control of his body.

Shikamaru sensed his internal struggle through his technique. "You and I both know that will do little good. After all, I was the one Naruto sent to capture and bring you in." The shadow user smirked at the memory, "A priest of Jashin brought down by a cripple." He looked directly into Hidan's eyes as he waved his empty right sleeve in front of his face. "Pathetic!" he raged, spittle flying from his lips as his calm persona shifted almost instantly, "Where was your God then, priest!? Where was Jashin as the shadows brought you to your knees!? Where was Jashin when his last disciple was at the edge of oblivion!?" His rant over, Shikamaru calmly walked ahead of the frozen Jashinist before releasing his technique.

Hidan fell to his knees, the toll of his fierce mental battle too much to handle. Taking in deep breaths, he gripped his holy symbol zealously. He stared at the younger shinobi's back, rage and killing intent emanating in waves.

Shikamaru seemed not to notice. Taking a long draw from his new cigarette, he glanced over his shoulder, "There is no God. No Jashin. There is no deeper meaning to your fights. You kill because you like it, nothing else. You serve Jashin to bring purpose and reason to your otherwise indifferent and cold reality. But you're alone in this world. You've always been alone." There was a mad gleam in the Nara's eyes now, "Anything I miss?"

As much as he wanted too, Hidan could not refute his companion's claims.

--

AN: Well, I've had this on my computer for a while and decided to post it. It's a rewrite of Revenge of the Fox. I wrote it because the way I was writing the old fic was almost completely through flashbacks, and it was a pain. I don't really have a beta so give me a break if things aren't perfect.

If you're wondering about some of the character's abilities and the fact that some of them may be a little different than in canon, it all has to do with the time period. Naruto and his friends are old enough to be in the prime of their life, and therefore, there techniques and experience match that of some of the older, and more experienced characters from the canon.


End file.
